Sleep
by PuffinAlchemist
Summary: Karkat is the leader of their session, and never sleeps. But what happens when he, the independent insomniac, finally reaches his limit? Rated T for language. All content belongs to their rightful owners.
1. The Beginning

I don't sleep.

What's the point to it? Give me three reasons and explain them. Then let me say no, that's stupid. But everyone has limits. Limits that seem to come all too quickly.

"Karkat," Kanaya's smooth voice interrupted me from a stupor, her fingers tapping my shoulder apprehensively.

"What?" I brought my head out of my hands, turning just slightly to see her.

"Can you please come to the library?" She asked with an amount of politeness that I would deem pointless.

"Yeah, sure." I stood up slowly, metal chair scraping against the floor. "What the hell's it for?"

"Rose has found a few more clues to the session from some text. She'd like you to come down to survey the unearthed data." Kanaya's tone lightened as we headed down the stairs to the cluttered library.

I rolled my eyes silently behind her, watching my course on the slippery stairs. Of course, Rose. Rose this; Rose that. But if I had the audacity to say that Kanaya had simply fallen horns over heels for the Seer, she would murder me.

I faltered on one of the last steps, socks unable to grip at whatever non-existent uneven surface. I tumbled forwards, grabbing Kanaya's shoulders tightly. She gave me a funny look, and I glared-embarrassed-back.

I made it down the rest of the steps easily, ducking under Kanaya's waiting arm that held the door open. I looked around the library, finally catching sight of two people in the far corner in almost a pile of books.

Rose's head popped from a hunched position over a book as I approached. "Hello Karkat." She smiled warmly, "I'm glad Kanaya got you."

"Yeah, sure. What do you have?" I sat gingerly in a chair, moving a few thick books out of the way.

"Well, I have some more leads to the session, and more on the concepts of ancestry-"

Rose's intelligent spiel was cut off by Dave appearing next to her.

"Hey Karkles." He smirked.

"Shut the fuck up…" I grumbled, not in the mood for this.

"You look decrepit, grouchy ass." He remarked, and then dove back into the pile of books; apparently in search of some Alternian Slam Poetry.

Rose nodded her head slightly in agreement, eyes sweeping over my body. Kanaya was probably nodding so fast her head would come detached from her neck.

Okay, I wasn't in the best shape, but it wasn't enough for others to be worried. The shadows under my dark eyes were like deep bruises that surpassed my cheek bones, true. I had drastically lost weight over the session, so my already stretched out sweater smothered me nearly to my knees. Plus my hair was probably a bird's nest.

I finally retorted, "Says the shit who's wearing pajamas."

Dave laughed from under the table. "Nice socks by the way."

I looked down, seeing just plain black socks. They were just socks for Gog's sake! I shot up from the chair, aiming a kick at Dave's empty head. "Shut your mouth, Strider, no one fucking cares!"

"Ahem," Rose's impatient voice began with no intention of stopping. "If you two would stop acting like children, I would like to show you some evidence."

"Yeah, okay. Chuck it at me." I grasped the edge of the table, leaning over to see.

As Rose explained her conclusions from her newest set of books, I realized something was wrong. The more my eyes tried to focus, the more things I was looking at warped. I watched Rose's finger mush together with the book she was indicating to, which made me very nauseous.

Rose gave me a tap on my forehead, and I shook myself out of it. Sort of.

"Are you paying attention?" She asked.

"Of course I fucking am!" I muttered, head burning where she had touched me.

"That's exactly why you were staring at my hand with a look of almost awe. Do I do my nails that well?" Rose ensued talking again, ignoring my angry face. My body grew heavy, threatening to topple onto the uncomfortable looking books. My head spun, as if I had stood up too quickly. My knees weren't locked, where they? They of course, weren't.

I straightened, rubbing the stairs from my eyes for a moment; then leaned forwards again.

"Go on, I don't have all day."

"I never stopped talking." Rose raised an eyebrow. "I'm pretty sure you're not okay. You can listen _and_ sit down, you know." She began to stand, leaving her book unattended.

"Look, I'm fucking fine. Get off my bulge about it." I protested. But as I said it, my body began to stray, swaying like a leaf in the breeze.

"Karkat." Rose said firmly, "Sit down."

"No!" I yelled; then felt a sickly feeling in my head. Something was definitely wrong.

Both Rose and Kanaya grabbed for my sweater sleeves to stretch them out even more, but the rug and a surprised looking Knight where approaching very suddenly.

With a loud 'crack' and a sharp pain in my forehead, I was out like a light.

* * *

This is one of the only multi-chapter sort of Sadstuck fanfictions I will be writing, unless I can get Crash and Burn up. But that's irrelevent. I hoped you liked this chapter, and the next ones too! I would enjoy it if you reviewed this, so I can improve on the writing I did in this and to come, or I did something great that needs to be acknowledged. c:

Arrivederci!

-Puffin


	2. The Dream

For once, I dreamt. I remember that my dream self on Prospit was fucked, so I guessed this was the alternative. Not the next best thing, though.

I was standing on a platform, arms raised into the air by ropes. My eyes focused on a large crowd of trolls that gathered around the platform. I blinked, confused. What was going on? Everyone in the crowd had faces of stone, looking at me with resentment and fear in their eyes. No one looked happy at all. Or sad for that matter.

Suddenly, I heard footsteps behind me. I craned my neck to see everyone else from the session, from Aradia to Feferi.

My face literally lit up, an unfamiliar smile twitching onto my face.

"Guys where have you all fucking been-" I hesitated, and looked closer. They were all dead. The thought alone had scared me, but now the realization shook me.

"Guys…" I began again, and then choked, a metallic tingle filling my mouth. I had been stabbed. I whirled around to figure out who had done so, when a coupling pain emerged from my abdomen.

My gaze fell on Aradia and Tavros, who had passed me. Their faces where grim, angry and soulless.

They had stabbed me. But why? I turned just in time to feel something jab me under the ribs with precision, making me cry out. The pain kept coming, antagonizing and long. Blood pooled in my mouth, sneaking from the corners of my lips as I hung there. My blood stained the ground for all to see what happened to those who weren't like the rest.

I felt a soft tap on my shoulder, and looked up slowly.

Gamzee stood there, a lenient smile on his face. He was standing in his swaggery way, looking inviting.

"Gamzee?" I asked with a sliver of hope tinting my tone.

Metal pressed into my neck. It was thick and heavy, making me shiver.

"You killed us all, Karkat." Gamzee said with his raspy voice, "You did. This is why you shouldn't be a motherfucking leader, mutant."

"But- Don't fucking do this! You can't! Moirails forever-"

"Not with someone like you. Motherfucking never. Who would with the worst leader and friend out there?"

There was no time to protest. The axe that had threatened to burst my arteries swung back, and swung forwards. It sliced through my skin, my muscles, my veins, my life.

I was delved into the darkness once more. But this was a different darkness. One that reeked of death and doom.

* * *

Oh wow, this chapter sucked balls. Well... There's going to be one more chapter, unless I can't bring myself to put out some closure and go, "One more chapter..." For like 10 more chapters. So, please tell me if there's anything I could improve in the last chapter of the story in context, and make sure you follow until the end of the story!

Adieu!

-Puffin


	3. The Ending

I woke with a start, a scream ripping from my lungs. My shaking hands felt for my head, it was still attached. Though I was sporting a nicely rising bump on my forehead. No blood seeped from my torso, which was good. But I was still hyperventilating, unable to even begin to take in oxygen.

Three heads came into view, all looking slightly worried.

"Are you alright?" Kanaya asked the obvious question.

"No. No. No. I'm. No." I shook my head, unable to form a single sentence. I grasped what was covering me; then gave it a second look. It was Dave's cape, draped and wrapped around me like a child's security blanket. I chucked it off me quickly; sitting up slowly on the library's carpet. I was beginning to breathe correctly again, hands grasping my chest as I inhaled deeply.

"Karkat, I don't think you're alright." Rose brought her cold hand to my forehead; then dragged it down my cheek. "For now, how about you go to your room and rest up. You're very stressed and need sleep, contrary to popular belief." I saw her mocking smile, and huffed.

"I'm fine. I've had enough sleep, thank you." I stood up shakily, legs wanting to give out.

"No." Rose straightened from her kneeling position and heaved me into her arms swiftly like a child. "You are doing what I say. Unless you have a death wish."

I gaped. "Let go of me!" I demanded, "Now! I am your leader!" I pounded on her shoulders, unable to get out of her grasp.

Rose just smirked, nearly a sneer, as she headed out the door to my room. I blasted her eardrums with obscenities even I had never used, nearly bringing myself to desperate tears.

I finally gave up, throat burning, as we reached my room. She set me at the end of the bed, pulling off my socks and chucking them across the room.

"What the flying fuck do you think you're doing?" I pulled my feet close to me.

"Getting you ready for bed." Rose said with simplicity, searching the drawers.

"And why do we have shitty human sleeping devices? Come on, this is a motherfucking Alternian space craft!"

Rose shrugged, tossing a shirt and pants at me. "Get changed."

"Here?"

"Of course," Rose let out a sarcastic laugh, "do you think I'm going to leave you?"

I sighed melodramatically, not getting a reaction. "Fine…." I took my sweater off, throwing it at her head and missing by a sizable margin.

I looked at the shirt she had given me, wondering what in Gog's name a lifeguard was. I put it aside, changing into the fuzzy blue pants that had been so ceremonially thrown at me.

"Are you done?" Rose turned to me as I grabbed the shirt, her eyes flickering over my bare chest.

"What?" I grumbled," Never seen someone's chest before?" I slipped the shirt on, suddenly feeling very tired.

"No, your anatomy is just a bit different than ours." Rose jumped onto the bed sheets behind me, dragging a comb through my hair.

I hissed, jerking my head back. "Jegus, don't fucking do that, you shit! I don't have to look like a fashion model or anything!"

Rose sniffed behind me, pulling it through my hair again. "It looks nice."

"Since when have you become my lusus?" I rolled my eyes, and then frowned. "What did you mean by different anatomy?"

"By different anatomy," Rose paused as she jerked at a huge tangle in my hair, "I mean the ridges on your sides. Humans don't have them." Her fingers dragged across the raised skin on my abdomen, making me hold in a nervous titter.

"Don't fucking touch them, they're sensitive." I shot back.

"In what way? Horn sensitive or the inside of your knee sensitive?"

I hesitated, wondering how she knew about the horn thing, and then shrugged it off. "The second one. Like that."

I could almost hear her smile. "Okay. Now you," She jabbed my back, "should sleep. You only got about 15 minutes on that floor." The jerky strokes left my scalp, and Rose slid off the bed, giving me a look when I didn't move. "Now."

"No." I said stubbornly, like a child. "I'm really not tired."

Rose's face darkened, but she simply raised an unbelieving eyebrow. "Dear leader just lay down for a moment. Recover your energy. "Her simple retort was heavy laden with sarcasm; her root point clear.

I gave her a resentful look, and slid under the thick bedcovers. It was instant, literal heaven. I curled into a ball, eyes fluttering closed.

"Looks like our beloved leader is going to do more than just rest." Rose's voice came from above, but I ignored her; thinkpan ready for sleep and that only.

I felt a hand brush my hair, and a motherly kiss grace my forehead. Was this what human lusii did for their children? It was a lot more inviting than many things I had experienced with my custodian.

Her hand left my nest of hair, and there where soft footsteps as she retreated to the door.

The light clicked off, the door creaked, and I heard a whisper, "G'night Karkat."

I was asleep before I could protest it wasn't even nighttime.

And this time, I didn't dream.

* * *

Oh no... Last chapter. Well, this short 3 chapter journey certainly has been a good long one compared to the rest of my short stories! Please leave a review in the box down there if you liked the story, or there's something I need to improve to make my next stories better! Till next time!

Auf Wiedersehen!

-Puffin


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